President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has declared Oct. 10-16 of every year as “Linggo ng Lupong Tagapamayapa” to raise public awareness of the village officials’ role in maintaining peace and order in the community.
Under Proclamation 358 inked by Marcos on Monday, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is directed to take the lead in promoting the observance of the Linggo ng Lupong Tagapamayapa and identify programs, projects, and activities for its annual celebration.
“There is a need to increase public awareness on the functions of the Lupong Tagapamayapa and recognize the valuable contributions of the members thereof in the preservation and maintenance of peace and order in barangays,” read the proclamation, which was made public on Wednesday.
The annual observance will coincide with the enactment of Republic Act (RA) 7160 or the Local Government Code of the Philippines signed into law on Oct. 10, 1991.
Based on RA 7160, a “lupong tagapamayapa” is a body that exercises administrative supervision on matters relevant to the amicable settlement of village disputes.
The body, organized in every village, is chaired by a punong barangay and has 10 to 20 members.
The peacekeeping council is mandated to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas among its members and the public on matters relevant to the amicable settlement of disputes, as well as to enable various conciliation panel members to share their observations and experiences in effecting the speedy resolution of disputes.
Proclamation 358 enjoins all other agencies and instrumentalities of the national government, including government-owned or -controlled corporations, government financial institutions, and state universities and colleges to assist the DILG in implementing activities for the Linggo ng Lupong Tagapamayapa.
All local government units, non-government organizations, and the private sector are encouraged to participate and provide support for the effective implementation of the proclamation.